Watch List notes:

Basileios Tzamandenos, protospatharios, middle 11th century. Seal (Lead, 26 mm, 20.13 g, 11 h). [MHP - ΘV] The Mother of God "Blachernitissa", nimbate, raising both hands in prayer. Rev. +KЄ R,Θ, / RACIΛЄI/Ⲱ A CΠAΘA/P, TⲰ TζAMA,/ΔHNⲰ in five lines, decoration below. Münzzentrum 93 (1998), 587. A very rare family name, apparently only known from this seal type. Some scuffs on obverse and struck on a small blank, otherwise, very fine.


The very rare family name Tzamandenos evidently derives from the toponym Tzamandos, situated between Caesarea and Melitene. The local fortress was built there by the Armenian Melias in the beginning of the 10th century, and some decades later, it was made a Byzantine theme in combination with Lykandos.